Innovations in the Food Industry with Ready-to-Eat Gelatins and Carrageenan as an Alternative for Vegetarian Desserts.
I have noticed a significant increase in searches for vegetarian desserts and everything related to vegan treats. For manufacturers, this represents a challenge, as substitute ingredients for gelatin are required, and carrageenan presents itself as an ideal solution. At the same time, carrageenan becomes a key ingredient. Therefore, it is important for manufacturers to understand its properties and benefits.
Vanesa Micolucci, Director of Ingredientes Latam, reported.
For manufacturers, it is essential to understand how to work with carrageenan in different formulations. From powder premixes to the incorporation of acids and salts, each step of the production process must be carefully controlled to ensure the quality of the final product.
Carrageenan as a Key Ingredient in Vegetarian Desserts and Treats
During the Additives and Ingredients Conference, Marcela Mascheroni, an engineer in the research and development department of Alfa Argentina, discussed the advantages of carrageenan in healthy desserts. Here are some key points from her talk:
Gelatin is not vegan, as it is a mixture of peptides and proteins extracted through hydrolysis of collagen obtained from the bones, skin, and tendons of cattle, sheep, and pigs. For those who want to consume a non-animal-based food, the option is to use carrageenan.
Carrageenan is obtained from red algae through an extraction process with an alkaline solution at high temperature. Then it goes through a purification period that includes filtration and drying. Depending on the combination of different alkaline solutions and exposure times to temperatures, different types are obtained.
The benefit of consuming plant-based desserts is their lower calorie content, as much smaller doses of carrageenan can be used compared to gelatin. Additionally, they have a fairly high soluble fiber content, which helps with intestinal regulation and provides a satiating effect.
Regarding the topical behavior of carrageenan, there are three types: kappa, iota, and lambda. In terms of gel strength, kappa and iota have the highest gelling capacity, with kappa having the greatest affinity for potassium and iota for calcium.
Different types can be combined in different mediums, such as water or milk, to obtain gels with various characteristics. Hydration occurs when dispersed in water at temperatures between 10 and 40 degrees. When heating the medium to approximately 75 degrees, the coil structure opens completely and solubilizes. Upon cooling, the gelling phenomenon begins.
Ingredient Combinations in Vegetarian Desserts
Carrageenan has excellent synergy with different gums, such as xanthan gum, guar gum, tara gum, and konjac gum. This affinity is used to develop water-based desserts. It is important to consider the effect of temperature on gel strength, especially in low pH environments.
Not all carrageenan types can replace gelatin, but they can be used in combination with gums or other hydrocolloids to achieve gel strength, elasticity, and syneresis similar to gelatin desserts.
Carrageenan vs. Gelatin
Using a lower dose of carrageenan compared to gelatin, one can obtain double the gel strength achieved with gelatin, which is an advantage when formulating and costing a recipe. The texture and appearance of the gels are very similar, with both being smooth, elastic, and transparent.
- Origin: Gelatin is of animal origin, while carrageenan is plant-based.
- Gelation Temperature: Gelatin gels at 4 to 10 degrees, while carrageenan gels at 30 to 40 degrees.
- Melting Temperature: Gelatin melts at 25 degrees, while carrageenan melts at 40 to 50 degrees.
- Solubility: Gelatin dissolves between 45 and 50 degrees, and carrageenan between 70 and 80 degrees.
- Optimal pH: For gelatin, it is 5 to 8, and for carrageenan, it is 6 to 9.
Ready-to-Eat Gelatins Without Refrigeration
The advantages of using carrageenan include a short gelling time and the ability to gel at higher temperatures than gelatin, without requiring refrigeration. This allows for ready-to-eat gelatins without the need for refrigeration. These preparations can be made at room temperature and kept at that temperature, even on the shelf, until consumption. They can be refrigerated for a short time to be more satisfying when consumed. They also have easy demolding.
Regarding the acids to be used in the formulations, the recommendation is to use those with the highest water solubility to avoid affecting the gelling power of carrageenan in the mediums.
Healthy Homemade Desserts
When formulating a powder to prepare at home, it is recommended to keep the acidic part of the formulation separate from the rest of the recipe’s powders. This is because acids have a depolymerizing effect on carrageenan. Therefore, they should be kept apart until it is time to prepare the dessert. The combination of acids with carrageenan and high temperatures also affects the gel quality, so this time lapse should be short. Additionally, the contact of the acid with carrageenan should be only at the end of the preparation.
Attention should also be paid when preparing, first adding the buffer salt to benefit its solubility. Once this point is reached, the acid should be incorporated into the recipe. Additional heating of the dessert once it has gelled should be avoided, as it will impair the gel strength of the obtained dessert.
Carrageenan can not only replace gelatin in water-based desserts, but there are also formulations to replace gelatin in treats such as gummies, jams, marshmallows, and other types of non-dairy or dairy desserts.
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